Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

I took my car to my dealership to get my 40,000 mile tune up, which includes checking fluids, brakes and rotors, engine in April. They replaced my rear brakes and verified that my rotors and front brakes were in great shape. My car is under a warranty still that covers maintenance including brakes so I know it's in excellent shape.

I needed inspection and I took it to Jack Williams Tire & Auto on Trindle Road, in Camp Hill, PA. I had just got new tires from them two months ago so I thought I'd run it there for inspection. I decided to wait while they inspected it and there were about 5 of us waiting for inspections. The first person finishes and I hear that they have about $200 in repairs that need done to pass inspection. Okay, 5 year old Honda Civic, probably did need things. Next person finishes and is told their tires didn't pass and they needed rotors. This person was shocked they didn't pass and at first argued but then finally decided to just pay for them to put on the new tires and rotors and get the inspection done. The third person needed windshield wipers on their 2008 Ford Expedition which Jack conveniently sells too.

By now, I send my husband a text saying I'm worried about this place because not a single person is passing inspection. Everyone has something wrong that Jack Williams Tire can conveniently fix to pass inspection. Even though I know my car gets maintenanced regulary and that I just had new tires and breaks put on, I'm worried. Rightfully so!

They call me up to the desk to tell me I need new rear rotors and brakes, and fluids. They quote me $425 for the brakes and rotors, plus $90 to get new fluids. I'm in shock because I just had new rear brakes put on 3 months ago and they checked the rotors when they replaced them and they were fine. I ask to see the rotors, and they take me back and my rotors are shiny and new, and the guy tells me they "just barely failed the minimum thickness". I tell him hold on, let me call the dealership about this.

The dealership tells me that there is no way that my rotors could fail and to bring it over and they'll inspect it. I let the guy at Jack Williams know that my car is under warranty and that the dealership said that if the rotors failed, they'll switch it for free.

Jack Williams Tire then charged me $92 for a failed inspection test and for LABOR for assembling my car back together. They did no work on my car. They merely put the tires back on which were off for inspection.

I take the car to the dealership and my rotors and brakes are fine. Rotors fail if under 10 mm in thickness. I had almost 11 mm in thickness and they were still shiny and new, not pitted at all. I passed inspection without a problem.

I will be contactin Jack Williams about this to get a refund for the $92 and I am reporting them in to the PA Attorney General, the PENNDOT Quality Assurance Officer for our County, and the Chief of Vehicle Inspection Division. They picked the wrong female to try and take advantage of.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

AUTHOR: Honest Technician in PA - (United States of America)

SUBMITTED: Sunday, May 13, 2012

POSTED: Sunday, May 13, 2012

As a former Technician at this Jack Williams location, I can tell you from my personal experiences that this happens on a regular basis. Not just this particular scam (which I congratulate you for not letting them get away with) but also numerous others, too many to count. They're all different, yet the same...

The General Manager (Jim) had a well-known Personal Philosophy: "If it's not broke, tell him/her that it is then sell him/her two of them". He must have been very good at this because the company Executives seemed to take good care of him. When a "scam" went wrong, management would join together in convincing a technician to take the blame. Sometimes even substituting an entirely different technician than the one who performed the work. They always found a clever way to put it all on the tech, while themselves claiming innocence/ignorance.

I believe the only reason your situation was reconciled was because you drew so much attention to their antics. Congratulations for your persistence and I hope anyone that finds themselves in a similar situation will use this report as a roadmap.

AUTHOR: concerned1 - (United States of America)

SUBMITTED: Saturday, April 10, 2010

POSTED: Saturday, April 10, 2010

I know first hand, having been part of this mess, that the explanation given to you was more than likely false. That technician uses that micrometer day in and day out, not to mention they have all been there at this location when this happened to you for years. They all have been inspecting cars for a very long time, and use that micrometer probobly on average 5 times a day. They use scare tactics to get you to purchase service, falsely measuring brakes and rotors. Luckily you had the knowledge to back off and get a second opinion. I have seen first hand how many people experience this and don't either understand, or have the backbone you have to speak up.

Luckily you were refunded your money in full. As far as being charged to put your car back together, is completely insane. The price you pay for an inspection is pass or fail, and includes tear down and reassembly. I truly wish you would have had the opportunity to call the quality assurance officer for state inspections. Hopefully you go elsewhere, or if you still shop here, do your research first. Especially if you have a discount card!!!

Not every store is like this I am sure. It all comes from the general manager, or from those who train them. Thankfully, there are people like you who will express injustices. Good luck in the future!

AUTHOR: Unhappy Customer - (USA)

SUBMITTED: Friday, September 04, 2009

POSTED: Friday, September 04, 2009

The corporate headquarters of Jack William's Tire contacted me after seeing this report and asked for me to explain my problem. I told them everything I had filed in the original report. The lady I spoke with was very nice and asked me if I would be willing to bring my car in to any shop (did not have to be the one I had the problem with) for them to measure my rotors and find out why they failed at their stores and not other garages. I said that would not be a problem and offered to take it to the Camp Hill store so that they could test it with the equipment that had originally been used on my car.

The District Manager, Mr. Tom Murphy called me up and told me that he would personally meet me at the Camp Hill store at a time of my choosing and he would take care of the problem.

I took my car in and showed him what my measurements were reading elsewhere and he took the car back to inspect the rotors. He tested it with the electronic micronometer and my car passed. He let the tech who had did my inspection try it and my car failed. It was discovered that the electronic micronometer was pressure sensitive and that it's actually possible to register negative widths. The tech who did my inspection had applied a little too much pressure and that's why I failed, since the more pressure, the lower the micronometer reading.

I am very happy with the service I received from the district manager and the store manager. They refunded me not only what I paid there, but the costs I incurred when I took my car elsewhere to have the rotors checked and then inspected. I have to say, when they think you are unhappy with your service, they really try to remedy it. I left feeling really happy not only with the service, but that the original failed inspection was an honest mistake.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.